THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The southwest monsoon is expected to arrive earlier this time, the Met office said. It will reach the southeastern Bay of Bengal and the southern Andaman Sea on Sunday. The monsoon usually arrives in the Bay of Bengal on May 22. From there it will take 10 days for the monsoon to reach Kerala on June 1. However, this time the monsoon is expected by the last week of May, according to the Met Office.

Heavy rain for five days

The state will receive five days of heavy rainfall as westerly winds increased in the Arabian Sea. Central and northern districts will receive rainfall. It will also be strong in the hilly areas of the southern districts. Yellow alert has been issued in Ernakulam and Idukki districts today. These places will receive 64.5-115.5 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. There is a chance of strong winds and thunderstorms. Fishing has been banned in the Bay of Bengal due to the impact of cyclone 'Asani'.